A strip with an exterior sticky surface is judiciously selected for its ability to entrap dust and other loose debris without interfering with the operation of moving parts contacted thereby. The strip is attached to the sides of a magnetic tape cartridge, with the sticky surface facing outward, in places contacted by rollers and/or belts during the process of handling the cartridge in an automated system. Thus, any loose debris in the rollers or belts is retained by the tacky surface of the strip as the cartridge passes through the rollers and belts of the robotic system. The strips of the invention may be removably adhered to the data cartridge, or may be permanently attached. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the strips may be incorporated into a cleaner cartridge for the periodic maintenance of loading equipment.
|
12. A method of cleaning a feeder in a loader mechanism of an automated handling system for removable units, comprising the following steps:
providing a cleaner strip attached to a surface of at least one side edge of a removable unit to be contacted by said feeder, wherein the strip includes an outer adhesive layer adapted for trapping debris contacted thereby; and operating the loader mechanism so as to cause the cleaner strip to contact the feeder.
1. An automated handling system for removable units, comprising:
a plurality of removable units selectively transportable between alternative locations within the system; a loader mechanism for handling said removable units while transporting the units within the system, said loader mechanism including a feeder which engages opposed side edges of said units; and a cleaner strip attached to a surface of at least one side edge of at least one of said units to be contacted by said feeder; wherein the strip includes an outer adhesive layer adapted for trapping debris contacted thereby.
2. The system of
3. The system of
4. The system of
5. The system of
6. The system of
13. The method of
14. The method of
16. The method of
17. The method of
|
This application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/960,437, filed Sep. 21, 2001 and now U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,435.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to robotic systems for handling magnetic cartridges and other data-storage devices. In particular, the invention relates to an adhesive strip for cleaning the rollers of cartridge loaders and similar handling apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic data-storage equipment often involves removable media that may take the form of a magnetic tape cartridge, an optical disk cartridge, a floppy disk, an optical cartridge, a magneto-optical disk cartridge, or other type of storage unit. The portability of these removable-media units makes it possible to store large amounts of data in many storage units which can then be stored in readily accessible libraries or archived for future use. When a particular removable-media unit is needed for use in a computer, for example, the unit is retrieved and loaded for processing, either manually or automatically.
Automatic retrieval is done either in libraries or automatic cartridge loaders (ACLs). Libraries use one or more movable robotic pickers to retrieve cartridges from storage cells and load them into one or more I/O drives or devices. ACLs use a movable magazine of cartridges and stationary robotics to move cartridges to one drive. The cartridges are of two types, data and cleaner, and have the same general geometry, so that the robotic picker and the ACL need not be designed to handle two distinct cartridge designs. Conventional cleaner cartridges have internal mechanisms for cleaning the read/write head of the device performing I/O. For example, tape cleaner cartridges may have a woven fabric that runs over the magnetic head to clean it. Similarly, optical cleaner cartridges may have a brush which is stroked over the focus lens of the device to clean it.
The mechanism through which a removable-media unit is transferred and/or loaded into a computer peripheral or device includes rollers and belts that guide and drive the unit in and out of the machine. An example of a mechanism the includes such loader rollers and belts is the pass-through picker assembly for magnetic tape cartridges used in the IBM® 3575 Magstarg® MP tape library described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,391 (Gazza). As illustrated in
As shown in
As apparent from the drawings, the belts 28,32 and rollers 30,34 are necessarily exposed to the environmental conditions of the automated storage system. Therefore, with use these belts and rollers accumulate dust and other debris that effect their performance and require periodic cleaning. Typically, this kind of maintenance may be neglected or performed manually by a service person, which is expensive and time consuming. Accordingly, it would be very desirable to be able to clean loader rollers and belts automatically. This invention provides a simple solution toward that end.
The primary objective of this invention is a device for automatically cleaning loader rollers and belts in removable storage-media equipment.
Another objective of the invention is a method and apparatus that can be used in equivalent fashion with all types of data-storage devices and loading mechanisms.
Another goal is an invention that is suitable for relatively simple incorporation within existing robotic equipment.
Still another goal is a method and apparatus that can be carried out advantageously without modification to existing loading equipment.
A final objective is an approach that can be implemented easily and economically according to the above stated criteria.
Therefore, according to these and other objectives, the invention consists of a strip with an exterior sticky surface judiciously selected for its ability to entrap dust and other loose debris without interfering with the operation of moving parts contacted thereby. The strip is attached to the sides of a magnetic tape cartridge, with the sticky surface facing outward, in places contacted by rollers and/or belts during the process of handling the cartridge in an automated system. Thus, any loose debris in the rollers or belts is retained by the tacky surface of the strip as the cartridge passes through the rollers and belts of the robotic system. The strips of the invention may be removably adhered to the data cartridge, or may be permanently attached. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the strips may be incorporated into a cleaner cartridge for the periodic maintenance of loading equipment.
Various other purposes and advantages of the invention will become clear from its description in the specification that follows and from the novel features particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Therefore, to the accomplishment of the objectives described above, this invention consists of the features hereinafter illustrated in the drawings, fully described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and particularly pointed out in the claims. However, such drawings and description disclose only some of the various ways in which the invention may be practiced.
This invention lies in the idea of providing a sticky surface on a data cartridge for retaining dust and other loose debris contacted by the cartridge while it is being handled by a robotic system, thereby advantageously removing the dust from the system. In particular, the invention is directed at removing particles residing on loader rollers and belts. Therefore, such sticky surface is provided in the form of a strip placed along those portions of the cartridge contacted by rollers and belts with the tacky side of the strip facing outwardly.
For purposes of illustration, the invention is described with reference to an automated magnetic tape storage system for use in a data processing environment, as described above. As one skilled in the art would readily recognize, though, the invention is not intended to be limited to magnetic tape cartridges or to data storage systems, but it could apply in equivalent fashion to any data storage unit contacted by rollers and/or belts in a robotic handling system. Moreover, the invention is described in terms of feed rollers and drive belts, but it is understood that the inventive concept applies in equivalent fashion to either, hereinafter referred to as feeders. Therefore, any reference to feeders in the description and claims is intended to apply to rollers, belts and other contact driving means.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated throughout with like numerals and symbols,
Thus, as illustrated schematically in the side elevational view of
For best performance, the outer layer 46 should have an adhesive strength in the 3.5-7.0 lbf/inch (60-120 Newtons/100 mm) according to ASTM D3330. The inner layer 54 should have an adhesive strength in the 7.0-15.0 lbf/inch (120-260 Newtons/100 mm) range according to ASTM D3330. Double-sided adhesive tapes sold by the 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn., as VHB Series 9460, 9469, and 9473 are suitable to practice the invention. Outer layers 52 and 56 may consist of any backing paper currently available for similar applications.
In another, preferred, embodiment of the invention illustrated in
As mentioned, it is apparent that the idea of the invention is applicable to any removable data storage unit having a surface contacted by a pinch roller or drive belt in a robotic handling mechanism. Thus, the cleaner strip of the invention could be advantageously applied to IBM® 3480, 3490, 3590, 3570, and LTO (linear tape open) tape cartridges, as well as to high-density floppy disk cartridges, hard-disk-drive cartridges, optical cartridges such as DVD, and magneto-optical disk cartridges.
Inasmuch as the cleaner strips of the invention necessarily will tend to become saturated with debris, their effectiveness has a finite life. Accordingly, they may be used in conjunction with a conventional, disposable cleaner cartridge, to be recycled or thrown away when the cartridge is no longer usable. Such a cleaner cartridge could be used at predetermined times for scheduled maintenance; or, automatically, whenever a load failure is detected by the robotic system. Alternatively, the cleaner strips may be provided in removable form for data as well as cleaner cartridges, so that fresh strips may be applied to the cartridges periodically as old ones wear out.
Thus, a method and a device are provided for cleaning feed rollers and drive belts of tape-cartridge loaders. The invention may be implemented in the form of a cleaner strip adapted for attachment to a data-storage or a cleaner cartridge, a data-storage unit or a cleaner unit incorporating the cleaner strip, or a robotic handling system incorporating the cleaner strip in its data-storage units or in a cleaner unit.
Various changes in the details, steps and components that have been described may be made by those skilled in the art within the principles and scope of the invention herein illustrated and defined in the appended claims. For example, the substrate layer 50 may be eliminated from the strip 40 if one of the adhesive layers is sufficiently strong to provide structural support for the strip. Therefore, while the invention has been shown and described in what is believed to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures can be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent processes and products.
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
7119982, | Mar 05 2004 | Spectra Logic Corporation | Data cartridge library operable with a multipiece magazine, drive bay, user interface, an entry/exit port, and universal electronics bay |
7136720, | Aug 07 2001 | Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP | Disk cartridge data storage methods and apparatus |
7983789, | Sep 14 2007 | Seagate Technology LLC | Collecting debris from a tool |
8484795, | Aug 11 2010 | Seagate Technology LLC | Collecting debris from a tool |
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
2394855, | |||
4811444, | Jun 14 1988 | Double-sided adhesive cleaning apparatus | |
4843436, | Jul 29 1985 | Xerox Corporation | Feed roll cleaner for cleaning and renewing the frictional feeding surfaces of the sheet feed rolls in a copy reproducing machine or printer |
5460476, | Jun 21 1994 | International Business Machines Corporation | Dual gripper picker assembly for an automated storage system |
5519910, | Feb 28 1995 | Mouse ball cleaning device | |
5536328, | Apr 15 1994 | Gemplus Card International | Cleaning card for printing machine and for a work station for the electrical customization of the cards |
5601391, | Jun 21 1994 | International Business Machines Corporation | Dual gripper picker assembly for an automated storage system |
5896157, | Jan 27 1998 | Eastman Kodak Company | Cleaning disc and method for cleaning a feed roller belonging to an imaging device |
5953301, | Oct 27 1995 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | Lens-cleaning disc with angled brush with adhesive |
6030674, | Mar 10 1995 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Cleaning sheet and recording medium set including the same cleaning sheet |
6414816, | Sep 16 1998 | Fujitsu Limited | Cartridge for cleaning feeder belt and library apparatus |
6615435, | Sep 21 2001 | International Business Machines Corporation | Cleaner strip for rollers of cartridge loader |
JP404028053, |
Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Jun 03 2003 | International Business Machines Corporation | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / |
Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
Jun 21 2004 | ASPN: Payor Number Assigned. |
Sep 19 2007 | M1551: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 4th Year, Large Entity. |
Jan 16 2012 | REM: Maintenance Fee Reminder Mailed. |
May 30 2012 | M1552: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 8th Year, Large Entity. |
May 30 2012 | M1555: 7.5 yr surcharge - late pmt w/in 6 mo, Large Entity. |
Jan 08 2016 | REM: Maintenance Fee Reminder Mailed. |
Jun 01 2016 | EXP: Patent Expired for Failure to Pay Maintenance Fees. |
Date | Maintenance Schedule |
Jun 01 2007 | 4 years fee payment window open |
Dec 01 2007 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Jun 01 2008 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
Jun 01 2010 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
Jun 01 2011 | 8 years fee payment window open |
Dec 01 2011 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Jun 01 2012 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
Jun 01 2014 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
Jun 01 2015 | 12 years fee payment window open |
Dec 01 2015 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Jun 01 2016 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
Jun 01 2018 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |